I have seen a lot of talk about whether or not a sunroof is likely to shatter if tinted. Has anyone personally experienced a shattered MINI sunroof after it was tinted? Other threads have stated what MINI dealers and tinters have said and I don't want that duplication. Please only post whether or not you had a MINI sunroof shatter after it was tinted and, if so, please give the particulars about the tint percentage, installer, product.... Thank You!

 

Okay, since no one responded, I assume nobody on NAM has actually experienced a sunroof shattering due to tinting. Is this correct??

 

2 MINI's, both tinted. One was at 35% and the other was darker, I don't remember exactly. Neither had any problem at all.

 

Okay, I have searched the net extensively and there was not ONE report in the first person about a sunroof shattering due to tinting. The few stories that were posted were always someone who knew someone who knew someone, i.e. the chief ingredient of an urban legend. So, I am going to have my sunroof limo tinted and the other windows (except the windshield, of course) lighter. But I am not sure what %. I do not want "blackout". Anyone have a suggestion for decent moderate tinting?

 

My '05 MCS (July '04 build) has had the windows and sunroof tinted almost from day 1. 35% on the doors, 20% on the side's 'n boot glass and 20% on the sunroof. I recently had the entire (including glass) sunroof replaced under warranty (rattle) and had the sunroof tinted at 5% (aka Limo Black). I like it even better than the 20%.......gets pretty bright here in sunny Cental Cali in the summer and deffinately helps to keep the interior heat at a minimum.

 

I thought one of the side-effects of tint was that it keeps windows from shattering?

 

There's also the route of vinyl roof design. You can get them perforated or unperforated.

 

This sounds like the combo I will be going with. There's a computerized tint place on Gude Drive in Rockville. Anyone know anything about it?

 

If you go to my gallery, on page 2 there are some photo's that will give you an idea of what my tint job looks like. BTW.....get the good stuff. I think the brand name of mine is LLumar.....it's been on the car for almost 3 years now and looks as good as the day it went on. This is the 4th car I've had done with this product and % combination, and can't say enough good things about it. Helps to have a "Really" good installer too.

 

I bought my '05 from Sandia MINI in New Mexico. They had the windows and sunroof tinted with 3M film before I bought it. I'm sorry to say that I don't know what the %factors are but I'm pleased to report that I've had no problem with the installation.

I believe they've had lots of their sunroofs tinted and could share their specifications and experiences with you. Sandia MINI 800-697-0238

 

The guy who tinted my windows said it would shadder, but I too haven't heard of anyone's actually doing it. He refused to tint my sunroof.

 

my local tinter would not do mine, said it would shatter... no reason given.

At the dragon the guy there doing tinting was tinting all sorts of mini's sun roofs... didn't have any qualms about it.

 

Yeah, I am sure it's just a bunch of bull. It makes no sense at all. In fact, safety glass is actually two sheets of glass with a thin sheet of plastic laminated between them.

 

The sunroof was tinted when we bought the car.
Last November, a bullet went through the sunroof and landed in the backseat. (during the night, nobody hurt, Thank God!) There were small pieces of glass all over from where the bullet went in and the sunroof was shattered but mostly in one piece. I had to break out the rest of the glass before I could drive the car.
And I can still hear pieces of glass floating around in the roof when I make a sharp turn!

 

I have mine tinted and there is no problem with it. Tint people had no problem doing it, that I am aware of.

 

Hmm...maybe we should forget tinting and start thinking about installing bullet proof glass??

 

when you have your glass professionally tinted, how careful doyou need to be when you clean the glass so you avoid scratching?...I applied one of those mirrored tinted pastic films to the inside windows of my Ford Fiesta years ago (the back windows on that car did not open, like the MINI but the Fiesta did not offer air conditioning!)....the mirrored film helped a lot, but the clarity was not great for someone looking out and cleaning was difficult as the film would scratch or scuff easily

 

There are tint film cleaners. I had it on my VW van ages ago and it worked well. Don't remember the brand, though.

 

I've been told to stay away from products that have ammonia in it....seems to cloud the tint over time.

 

Where the heck were you when a bullet comes whizzing in??? You didn't go into detail...just left us hanging.

 

5% tint on our 03' for a few years now. No problems at all. Just a nice cool car.

 

Reading about sunroofs getting shattered by tinting would certainly be a first for me.
I'm planning to put 5% (limo tint) on the sunroof and 32% all around sans the windshield.

 

It happened in the middle of the night, my family was all safe inside our house.

I have to park outside in the driveway - in between a '72 Chevy 4x4 pickup and a lifted Suburban. Some idiot must have decided to fire his/her gun into the air and the bullet found my poor car. We found the actual slug in the backseat. It must have lost quite a bit of momentum going thru the sunroof, because there was no damage to the leather seats.
The cops said the bullet could have traveled over a mile before it hit. It is seriously against the law here in Phoenix to fire a gun into the air. The cops took the bullet - I think it was a 38.

I still think it's bizarre that the Mini got hit, sitting there between those two big trucks.